Letters to the Editor: Aug. 9, 2017

President Donald Trump says the Russia investigation is a “witch hunt,” yet more Russia meetings between his campaign staff and family members keep surfacing. I can think of at least eight such meetings attended by Gen. Michael Flynn, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, etc. The latest revelation is the Russia meeting attended by Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort (Trump campaign manager).

Trump Jr. previously denied any such meeting for over one year and then stated he was being “fully transparent” when he admitted to the meeting, only after he was notified The Washington Post would be running an article about it. In my book, you cannot be “fully transparent” after you are caught in a falsehood.

President Trump said that anyone in Trump Jr’s position would have accepted the meeting. I dispute that as no honest person would accept a meeting with a foreign enemy state as it is potentially illegal. President Trump’s legal team previously said he had no knowledge of the meeting and was not involved in drafting the statement first put out by Trump Jr.

Now, the White House admitted that President Trump helped “craft” the statement, just like “any father would do for his son.” This might be true if the son was a teenager, but Trump Jr. is 39 years old, executive director of The Trump Organization and a seasoned businessman. Seems like another attempt at obstruction by President Trump and another reason the Russia investigation should continue.

Ann Neises, Naples

Shut the door to Collier

Reading about the continuing growth in Naples and Collier County really raises real questions about the future of our area. Are we going to become the Fort Lauderdale of Southwest Florida? If so, why?

The infrastructure in this area is and will be overwhelmed if we continue to encourage and permit growth.

Just look at the city of Naples. The existing roads just can't handle more growth. Even roads like U.S. 41 and Goodlette-Frank Road are overwhelmed during season. And how about the water supply for this area? Can it support unlimited growth?

Another concern is the beach, including parking and availability for use.

Regarding the matter of "low-cost housing," why do we need it? If anyone worked in a large metro area they commuted to work. For example, in the Washington metro area, with which I am familiar, most government workers commute to their jobs for a half-hour to 1 1/2 hours because of cost and availability.

I think it is time we formed a metro government including Naples, Marco Island and Collier County to manage this area and also to reduce the cost of governing this area. For example, duplicate police, fire and administration in each area could be combined, therefore reducing the cost and overseeing the growth.

Do not destroy our paradise. Shut the door.

Bernard R Jacobs, Naples

Use soapbox, not pen

E.L."Bud" Ruff strikes again.

People want the paper to stop publishing his letters because he does nothing to further discourse. He uses references from questionable sources and liberal hacks. The numbers of soldiers killed in Afghanistan is one glaring example. Yes, about 2,400 deaths occurred, but what Ruff forgot to tell you is 1,762 happened while former President Barack Obama was in the White House.

Ruff glosses over the casualties in Syria with a refrain, "we will never know." Well, as of the end of 2016 when Obama left the White House, some 470,000 people have died, including children. I guess Ruff’s concern for loss of life does not extend to Syrians.

Mr. Ruff, this is why you should be banned from the editorial letter page. Go down to the park and get on a soapbox and you can then use your First Amendment right.

Norbert Obrien, Naples

ISIS causing refugee crisis

Am I the only one who believes that ISIS has choreographed and orchestrated the refugee crisis? The purpose is to thus hasten its caliphate to spread Islam throughout the world. Are others encouraging it?

John Piccolo, Estero

We’ve won, comrades

Comrades! We finally did it. It took us about 100 years, but now America is under our control.

It's been a frustrating journey, but with perseverance, and some help, we avoided a hot war with America. Over this time, we have been involved in wars with America using surrogates, but think of what we overcame: images of children hiding under desks hoping to survive a nuclear war with Russia; constant worries about young men being drafted to go to war; concern about American political sovereignty; American patriotism, and personal honor. That's all gone.

We accomplished the goal using the old model of divide and conquer. It resulted in creating conflict among Americans; subsequently, the divisions resulted in a return to tribal instincts and loyalties. If we only knew it was going to be that easy, we should have done it years ago and saved a ton of aggravation. The bottom line is it's done and we won, comrades.

One can imagine this letter appearing in Pravda.

Henry S. Kolesinski, Naples

Panthers not endangered

Kate MacFall’s guest commentary in the July 30 Naples Daily News demonstrated a severe lack of understanding of both animal population dynamics and the characteristics of Florida panthers.

Panther populations are limited by habitat and food sources. When these are abundant, populations expand rapidly until they overload the resources, leading to fierce competition marked by animals expelled from their natural habitat and forced to prey unnaturally on pets and livestock.

Left unmanaged, populations swing from boom to bust. Habitat has been shrinking in all states for many years and state wildlife agencies have learned that animal populations must be managed, preferably through controlled hunting. Where this occurs, both predator and prey species thrive.

In recent years, the official estimate of panther numbers has not varied. Anecdotal evidence suggests the number is larger and above the carrying capacity of available habitat and prey. The evidence is increasing deaths from automobiles and other panthers, the diminished abundance of prey (mainly deer and small mammals) in the habitat, and increased sightings in populated areas.

The so-called Florida panther is neither unique nor specially adapted to its habitat since recovery of its ailing population didn’t begin until Texas panthers were introduced for genetic diversity. All panthers, cougars and mountain lions in America can interbreed and are basically the same species. In other states, these animals have killed humans, which could happen here.

The southern Florida panther population is demonstrably self-sustaining and no longer is endangered. Removing them from endangered status will be a mark of success. To ensure continued success, the population will have to be managed by professional hunters or controlled public hunting, the latter of which could also yield significant revenue for conservation.

Ira Cotton, Naples

Bad deal for Naples

The city of Naples has “negotiated” a deal to purchase land for $6 million to build a third downtown garage. You decide if it’s a good deal:

+ Although the city’s own May 2013 appraisal valued the property at only $2.7 million (http://bit.ly/2uJsvZL), it now relies on 2015 and 2016 appraisals valuing the property at double and triple that amount.

+ The seller gets to keep 113 parking spots for which he would otherwise have had to pay the city, an added benefit of $3.4 million.

+ The city agrees to cooperate with the seller in representing to the IRS that the property was sold below “fair market value,” thereby allowing the seller to claim a $2.35 million “charitable donation.”

+ If the city doesn’t build the garage within three years, the seller gets to buy the property back at a 10 percent discount.

+ If the garage is built, the seller gets free publicity for life because the city must erect a plaque which states: “This parking garage would not have been possible without the generosity of Mr. David Hoffman and his contribution to the City of Naples.”

The deal is a win-win-win for the seller, for sure. A good deal for the city and its taxpayers? Not so much.

Ask the Community Redevelopment Agency and the City Council why they would agree to such a bad deal, why they are using CRA funds (intended to serve “blighted” areas) to fund the needs of condominium developers, why they are ignoring public opposition to the garage, and why they are doing this in the middle of summer when they think no one is watching.